Tag: fantasy books

November 2020 Book Haul

LaurenLeave a comment

Well, so much for No Buy November.

Also, Amazon and Book Outlet were having sales so it’s not my fault. It’s theirs.

Though does it count if I don’t have the books yet? Because I don’t have the Book Outlet books yet. Those should count for December, right?

Right?

Dune by Frank Herbert

“Whoever controls the spice controls the universe”. It’s a classic sci-fi tale that is much beloved and I didn’t like it the first time I read it. So why, you may ask, did I buy it? Well, because one of my book clubs is reading it and I thought I might like it more now that I am older. So yeah, here’s to second chances!

From a Certain Point of View (Star Wars) by various

These are tales set in the Star Wars verse told by different authors. All feature a different and unique perspective, for example, the trash compactor monster. If I like it, I will probably purchase the sequel that just came out.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

The winter solstice is a time for celebration in Tova. Ships captain Xiala is hired to bring a man described as harmless to the city. I was hooked by the premise. Then I was hooked by the sale!

The Night Country by Melissa Albert

Alice escaped the Hinterland and is trying to live a new life without magic in it. But something’s stalking the Hinterlanders in New York. I’m excited to get my hands on it. The sequel to The Hazel Wood looks to be pretty good.

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Aurora was in cyro sleep for two centuries. When she wakes up the world has changed and she finds she may start a war. Can she and a ragtag crew of ne’er-do-wells stop it? This sounds interesting, so here’s hoping!

A Queen in Hiding by Sarah Kozloff

Orphaned, exiled, and hunted, Cerulia, Princess of Weirandale, must master the magic that is her birthright, become a ruthless guerilla fighter, and transform into the queen she is destined to be. I was on the fence with this one. But Book Outlet’s sale made me say yes. So yeah.

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

Csowre is supposed to be a sacrifice to the gods, but along the way there she meets a mage who will change her path. But the gods remember. This book sounds so cool. Doesn’t it sound cool?

Trail of Lightening by Rebecca Roanhorse

A post apocalyptic story featuring a Navajo monster hunter. I’ll take it.

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

After reading Binti by Nnedi Okorafor, I knew I needed to read more by this author. And this post apocalyptic tale sounds both terrible and wonderful all at the same time. I’m really hoping to enjoy it.

The Autobiography of Santa Clause as told to Jeff Guinn

Another book club pick. Jeff writes an article for his paper about Christmas and is soon whisked off to talk to someone to set the record straight. This seems like it will be a heart warming tale that I will love given my, well, mild obsession, with Christmas.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

When Casiopea accidentally freed the Mayan god of Death from a box in her Grandfathers house, she gets sent on quest to help him free his throne from his brother. I love a SFP (strong female protagonist) and this sounded right up my alley and the price dropped right before Thanksgiving, so naturally, I had to pick it up.

And there you have it. All the books I bought in Novemeber. Which is small potatoes to what I have been buying over the last few months. I’m not saying I have a problem, but I think I might have a problem.

Yeah, I have a problem.

What I Read in November 2020

Lauren1 Comment

Well, here is my list of books I read this month. You’ll notice it’s quite short. It took me days to get through each book. Even the ones I loved.

It just wasn’t a good reading month for me.

I blame TicTok.

Also, how cool is Storygraph? I found out about it through Kristin Kraves Books. Much love to her for sharing this cool site with everyone.

So here, thanks to Storygraph, are my rather miserable stats for the month.

I love that I like to read adventurous books. Also, challenging books. And the one book I did not finish was challenging, for sure. I mean, I know that’s not what Storygraph means, but still, challenging.

I am really surprised with the pacing here, mostly because I don’t always pay as close attention to pacing as I should.

I’m assuming this breakdown will change in months I read more books. I read a variety of page lengths. Keeps ya sharp.

This website separates books into their different genres for you, and the books can have more than one genre, so that explains, while I read 5 books, the stats say I read 7. Even I got confused there for a minute.

And without further ado, here are the books I read this month!

Cursed by Thomas Wheeler, art by Frank Miller

This is the story of Nimue and the legendary sword of power. I loved this YA story. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of were the black and white illustrations. Sorry Frank. I gave this book 5 stars!

The Road Not Taken by Susan Rubin

The story of a widow who travels the space time continuum with a alien race known only as the Lost. I’m not gonna lie, I would barely say I read this book. I made it only 25 pages in before the writing style and easy acceptance of certain things just drove me bonkers and I quit. 1 out of 5 stars.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

When you turn 75 you are eligible to join the Colonial Defense Forces, and that’s just what John Perry does after visiting his wife’s grave for the last time. I read this book for book club #2 and I didn’t expect to enjoy it (or laugh) as much as I did. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Postmortal by Drew Magary

John Ferrell recieved “The Cure”, which means old age won’t kill him. Everything else still can. This was one of the most interesting books I read this year. It covers the social, economical, and environmental impact of what would happen if humanity all of a sudden never aged. I’m still thinking about this book days after I read it. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso

Amelia and her mage-marked Falcon, Zaria, must head behind enemy lines into the kingdom of Vaskandar as they prepare for war. I love this series. I find the writing compelling and the magic system to be very unique. And for someone who doesn’t always like hugely political plots, I don’t mind them in this book. 4 out of 5 stars.

November 2020 Round Up

LaurenLeave a comment

Well hello. How are you? Did you have a good Turkey Day? Was your Black Friday shopping fruitful? I hope you got all the good deals.

I don’t really do Black Friday shopping unless its online from my couch. Cyber Monday is my jam.

What I Read in October 2020: We have to put those monthly qualifiers on everything, don’t we? This post was, obviously, a list of everything I read in October.

Birthday or October 2020 Book Haul: This is exactly what it says on the tin. A list of all the books I bought during my birthday month!

What to Read-My November TBR: This is my TBR for November! What a short list!

November 2020 New Releases I Want!: My list of new releases for November that I, or people that live in my house, want.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue-A Book Review: Spoiler alert, I liked this book. A lot. You can find the full review here.

Bookish Gifts to Give This Holiday Season: I complied a list of some of my favorite book related gifts to give! Because who wouldn’t want a candle that smells like a bookstore?

The Book Nook: What a fun little piece of art the book nook is. I loved finding this list of book nooks for you!

100th Blog Post: I put together a list of some of my favorite blog posts from the last 99 posts.

Happy Thanksgiving: I wrote a very, very short Thanksgiving day post.

This was a good month for blog posts it seems, except for book reviews. I need to do more of those.

How was your November?

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue-A Book Review

Lauren4 Comments

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

I had heard people describing this book as their new favorite. That’s a lot to live up to. What if it was just mediocre? What if I found it to be terrible? What if it was so bad I had to DNF it? That’s a lot of “what if’s”. So, what did I think?

We see Addie’s life unfold in both the past and the present as the author chose to alternate between both. Addie was compelling when moving about the past figuring out how to navigate through the world right after her bargain was struck. She could have been a classic damsel in distress, but she manages to be smart when faced with trouble.

Addie in the present is lonely but has adapted to her situation. She is clever when it comes to knowing where to stay and how to feed herself. Not to mention clothing herself.

Luc is an fascinating villain. He is compelling and interesting. He is also very driven towards his goal.

Henry, as the only human who can remember Addie, is wonderful. He’s well written and interesting. He helps Addie really reconnect with the world while she does the same for him.

I found the world building was exquisitely done. The moments spent between the past and the present where brilliant.

The pacing was slow, but consistent. And I mean it when I say the pacing was slow. This is a slow read. Didn’t stop me from reading it in a day and a half though.

I don’t have anything negative to saw about this book, at all. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this is in my list of top ten favorite books. An enthusiastic 5 out of 5 stars.

November 2020 New Releases I Want!

Lauren2 Comments

With each month brings new releases! Here is a list of the new releases I am excited for this month!

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar’s crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.

Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin’s scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.

At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.

Release Date: November 14, 2020

This is book four set in Branden Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive. I haven’t read a single book in this series. So why is it on this list, you may ask? Cause the Hubs is really looking forward to this. It’s already pre-ordered and plans to have nothing to do for two days have been made.

Ready Player Two by Earnest Cline

Days after winning OASIS founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything.

Hidden within Halliday’s vaults, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS a thousand times more wondrous—and addictive—than even Wade dreamed possible.

With it comes a new riddle, and a new quest—a last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize.

And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who’ll kill millions to get what he wants.

Wade’s life and the future of the OASIS are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.

Release Date: November 24, 2020

I’m not gonna lie, this is the one that I am that I am the most apprehensive about. Even the Hubs is like, really?

The Empire Strikes Back: From a Certain Point of View by Various Authors

On May 21, 1980, Star Wars became a true saga with the release of The Empire Strikes Back. In honor of the fortieth anniversary, forty storytellers re-create an iconic scene from The Empire Strikes Back through the eyes of a supporting character, from heroes and villains, to droids and creatures. From a Certain Point of View features contributions by bestselling authors and trendsetting artists:

• Austin Walker explores the unlikely partnership of bounty hunters Dengar and IG-88 as they pursue Han Solo.
• Hank Green chronicles the life of a naturalist caring for tauntauns on the frozen world of Hoth.
• Tracy Deonn delves into the dark heart of the Dagobah cave where Luke confronts a terrifying vision.
• Martha Wells reveals the world of the Ugnaught clans who dwell in the depths of Cloud City.
• Mark Oshiro recounts the wampa’s tragic tale of loss and survival.
• Seth Dickinson interrogates the cost of serving a ruthless empire aboard the bridge of a doomed Imperial starship.

Plus more hilarious, heartbreaking, and astonishing tales from:
Tom Angleberger, Sarwat Chadda, S.A. Chakraborty, Mike Chen, Adam Christopher, Katie Cook, Zoraida Córdova, Delilah S. Dawson, Alexander Freed, Jason Fry, Christie Golden, Rob Hart, Lydia Kang, Michael Kogge, R. F. Kuang, C. B. Lee, Mackenzi Lee, John Jackson Miller, Michael Moreci, Daniel José Older, Amy Ratcliffe, Beth Revis, Lilliam Rivera, Cavan Scott, Emily Skrutskie, Karen Strong, Anne Toole, Catherynne M. Valente, Django Wexler, Kiersten White, Gary Whitta, Brittany N. Williams, Charles Yu, Jim Zub

Release Date: November 10, 2020

I just heard about this series. I haven’t read the first one yet and I am already looking forward to the second one! Who does that? Well, me, apparently. I love the concept of having all these great authors write these short stories in this universe. I am so excited.

Can you tell I’m excited?

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead. 

Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation. 

Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it? 

Release Date: November 17, 2020

I cannot wait for this book! Unfortunately, I’m gonna have to cause I’m not allowed to buy any books next month. I banned myself, cause my TBR pile is huge!

Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg

The orphaned Elsie Camden learned as a girl that there were two kinds of wizards in the world: those who pay for the power to cast spells and those, like her, born with the ability to break them. But as an unlicensed magic user, her gift is a crime. Commissioned by an underground group known as the Cowls, Elsie uses her spellbreaking to push back against the aristocrats and help the common man. She always did love the tale of Robin Hood.

Elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey is one elusive spell away from his mastership when he catches Elsie breaking an enchantment. To protect her secret, Elsie strikes a bargain. She’ll help Bacchus fix unruly spells around his estate if he doesn’t turn her in. Working together, Elsie’s trust in—and fondness for—the handsome stranger grows. So does her trepidation about the rise in the murders of wizards and the theft of the spellbooks their bodies leave behind.

For a rogue spellbreaker like Elsie, there’s so much to learn about her powers, her family, the intriguing Bacchus, and the untold dangers shadowing every step of a journey she’s destined to complete. But will she uncover the mystery before it’s too late to save everything she loves?

Release Date: November 1, 2020

I’ve already pre-ordered this, sort of. It was offered as a Kindle First so I got it for free! Those things are worth their weight in gold! All the free books, for all that they don’t have free fantasy/sci-fi books very often.

Planet Paradise by Jesse Lonergan

To survive after crash landing on an alien planet, a vacationer must battle against a hostile environment, killer lizards, corporate bureaucracy, and the pessimism of her sole companion, the drug-addled captain of the ship.

Release Date: November 17, 2020

I haven’t seen any of the art yet, but if the cover is any indication I might just love this graphic novel. Also, this sounds so funny.

And there you have it. All the new releases I am looking forward to in November of 2020.

What new releases are you eagerly anticipating?

What to Read-My November 2020 TBR

Lauren2 Comments

Well, it’s that time of the month again. The time when all good book bloggers sit down and decide what books they are going to read for the month of whatever.

This month I have chosen five contenders for the top spot. Or just five books I know I want to read over the course of the month.

What joy! What rapture! What a relief I stopped at five!

Our first two book are sequels to books I read last month.

Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire.

This is the story of Liir. The mystery surrounding his life is still unanswered. Is he the Wicked Witches’ son? He sets out on a quest to answer this and other questions in an OZ that is under new and terrible management.

The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso

Amalia and her bound Falcon Zaria must go behind enemy lines and use every bit of wit and wisdom they have to prevent war, or both nations may burn.

Cursed by Thomas Wheeler and art by Frank Wheeler

A story about Nimue, who becomes the legendary Lady of the Lake. I’m down for anything King Arthur related.

The Postmortal by Drew Magary

John Farrell is about to get “The Cure.” Old age can never kill him now.
The only problem is, everything else still can . . .

The Road Not Taken by Susan Rubin

Suddenly widowed at 50, a woman is shown all of SpaceTime by the Lost, a species that has been on Earth since the cool down.

And that’s the list of books I am hoping to get through this month. I hope I can do it/remember to read them all!

Birthday or October 2020 Book Haul

Lauren1 Comment

Ya’ll, I turned 40 this year. So I celebrated by buying books. As a result, I’m pretty sure I can skip buying books for the rest of the year.

No really. I’m putting myself on a book buying ban.

Yeah, even I doubt that. But a girl can dream!

I went to Half Priced Books. I also shopped on Thriftbooks.com, and bought a few from Amazon.com.

Here are the books I bought this past month!

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

A story about a girl at a magic school that just might kill you before you graduate.

Cursed by Thomas Wheeler, art by Frank Miller

A new story about a mercenary named Arthur and Nimue, who holds the sword Excalibur.

Skyhunter by Marie Lu

The last free nation of Mara is fighting back against the might Federation. Is their newest prisoner a spy, or the savior of all?

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

A young girl has to pose as a boy to compete to sew three magic dresses and win the role of imperial tailor.

Scythe by Neil Shusterman

Humanity has conquered war and disease. Even death. Now the Scythes are the only one’s who can end life.

The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso

Amalia and her bound Falcon Zaria must go behind enemy lines and use every bit of wit and wisdom they have to prevent war, or both nations may burn.

The Unbound Empire by Melissa Caruso

In the sequel to The Defiant Heir, Amalia and her Falcon Zaria have new challenges to face in the court of Raverra. Can they survive?

Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker

To save the city under siege will take a miracle. What it has is Orhan.

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

14 year old Mona isn’t like other wizards. Her magic only works on bread. But what happens when an assassin stalks the city’s wizards and only Mona is left?

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

In 1714 a young woman makes a deal with the devil to live forever. The catch? No one will remember her. Until one day 300 years later, someone does.

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh

Stories and comics about dogs, depression and the god of cake.

The Postmortal by Drew Magery

John Farrell is about to get “The Cure.” Old age can never kill him now.
The only problem is, everything else still can.

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

In a city that runs on industrialized magic, a secret war will be fought to overwrite reality itself.

The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemberg

Two transgender elders must learn to weave from Death in order to defeat an evil ruler.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

In the late 1800s, three sisters use witchcraft to change the course of history.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

The Emperor needs necromancers. The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense.

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso

A queen must unite her divided land, even if she’s hated by the very people she’s trying to protect.

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable war for almost two hundred years. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every two thousand women has the power to call down dragons. One in every hundred men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine.

Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He’s going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn’t get the chance.

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar

The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be “normal.” But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star’s help to heal him.

Some of these were Kindle purchases, so I got a few of them for cheap! And I did buy a few more books that were repurchases due to the book having fallen apart and needing to be replaced.

Rest in Peace Exiles Vol 1 and the Dragon Prince (both by Melanie Rawn, and both are very, very good).

And maybe a Christmas present for the hubs that I might have already given to him because I couldn’t wait.

What book did you pick up this past month?

What I Read in October 2020

Lauren1 Comment

Well, here we are. Another month gone. Another list of books I read. Hopefully you’ll see one you like and go find out whether or not I rated it correctly!

The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso

Magic and politics combine when a Falconer meets her Falcon on the streets of Reverra. I loved this book from page one. The political aspects weren’t to dry or drawn out, which means I was able to enjoy them. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The story about a boy named Nobody raised in a graveyard, but can the graveyard protect him from who killed his family? It was cute. I gave this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

Ceony Twill is sent to apprentice under Emory Thane to learn the magical art of Paper Magic. But when Emory is attacked and his heart stolen, does she have the magic to take it back? I loved this book. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Yadriel is a trans teenager. His only goals are to be accepted by his family and be a brujo. So imagine his surprise when he summons Julian while performing a ritual that was forbidden to him. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

To Be Taught If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

This is the story of four astronauts who embark on an eighty year long journey to see planets light years away from our own. But what has happened to the world they left behind? I gave this 4 out of 5 stars.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

A woman makes a Faustian deal to live forever, the catch is that no one remembers her. Until one day, a man in a bookstore does. This book was great. I initially gave it 4 stars but the more I let it sit with me, the more I loved it. 5 out of 5 stars.

A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

Charlie is a nice normal guy with a nice normal wife and a nice normal kid. That is, until people start dying around him. See Charlie has been chosen for a new career, as Death. I really didn’t like this book. I spent 3 days trying to read 50 pages and it just didn’t happen. This one got DNF’d. 1 out of 5 stars, cause you can’t give zero on Goodreads.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

The life of the Wicked Witch of the West is laid out before us to read. What an interesting book, and it is nothing, I repeat, nothing, like the musical that is based on this book. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Hyperbole and Half by Allie Brosh

It’s the author’s life as a child, her struggles with depression and her fights with her dogs. And a goose. This graphic novel of a webtoon made me laugh so much. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Alice must journey to the Hazel Wood to rescue her kidnapped mother. I was skeptical about this at first. When I bought it, YA hadn’t really been on my radar for a while, but a friend recommended it to me and I was not disappointed. I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars.

The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemberg

Two transgender elders journey out into the desert to seek out Death to defeat a tyrant. I really wanted to like this novella, but I didn’t. But here’s the thing, I didn’t hate it, I just didn’t like it enough to continue it. I may pick this up to try again in the future, but for now, it gets 1 star out of 5.

Legendborn-A Book Review

Lauren4 Comments

Legendborn is written by Tracy Deonn

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

Well, I said I wasn’t going to do it, but I did it. I bought Legendborn.

I don’t regret it. Do I have questions, yes. Absolutely.

Do YA books always move the plot along so quickly? Especially at the beginning? I don’t read a lot of YA fantasy so I don’t know.

These are the questions that the internet is good for!

So let’s get on to the actual review.

I’m not gonna lie, I had some misgivings about this. I haven’t read a YA book in years. I had, in fact, written off the genre about 7 years ago because the books I was reading just weren’t all that good to me. I don’t even remember them, that’s how memorable they were.

But this book had an interesting enough premise that I couldn’t resist it.

See, I’m a sucker for a good King Arthur story. They just, well, make me happy. This is even though I haven’t read all of Le Morte D’Arthur. I have it, I just haven’t read the whole thing. That’s a big, dense, book.

But this book isn’t a retelling, it’s an expansion of the myth. It’s what happens if the descendants of Arthur and his Knights survived to modern times.

I’m not gonna say I went nuts over it, cause I didn’t, but I did enjoy it enough that I would pick up book two. Because cliffhanger!!!

The plot for the story was great. I enjoyed the way it twisted and turned as it went. And followed it to its, for me anyway, unsurprising conclusion. Maybe it’s because I’m not the target audience and have been reading fantasy books for over 25 years? Maybe? And I did have a problem with how our main character just walked up to a door and was like, “hello, I’m here for the thing”.

And they let her in! She didn’t even know what the thing was!!!

The world building was really great. I thoroughly enjoyed the painting the author created with her story. It is magical realism, given that it is set in modern day North Carolina, and I sometimes have a problem like that, but not here.

Characters were good too. There were sometimes where people just accepted things a little too easily, or got angered for no reason other than “oh look, she’s here”.

Pacing was a bit frantic as the author tried to fit as much in the beginning as she possibly could, but it did level out into smoother waters as the book went on.

All in all I’d say this book has earned a good 3.75 out of 5 stars from me!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin